Erik Spoelstra

UNCASVILLE — As part of a wide-ranging preseason poll, WNBA general managers were asked what active player would someday make the best head coach. Lindsay Whalen finished second, Kara Lawson third. Sue Bird finished No. 1 at a whopping 75 percent. "If they say it, it must be true," Bird said Friday, breaking into a laugh. The GMs may be 75 percent, but at age 34, the Seattle Storm point guard said she is 100 percent sure of only one thing: She'd love to play in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. Still, 42 percent of the GMs called Bird the best leader and 58 percent listed her as the player with the best basketball IQ. Yep, UConn's Suzie Q grew up to become Suzie...

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Nikola Vucevic stepped to the free-throw line with 42.0 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter Wednesday night, and he sank both of his foul shots to give the Orlando Magic an 83-75 lead over the Miami Heat.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra called a timeout,...

Magic center Nikola Vucevic has posted impressive statistics this season. The numbers just weren't good enough to land him his first spot in the NBA All-Star Game.
He was considered a longshot to make it and Eastern Conference coaches did not vote to add...

Prior to the Orlando Magic's game against the Miami Heat on Saturday, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said — only half-jokingly — that Magic center Nik Vucevic would have been an All-Star last season if Vucevic had played all his games against the Heat.
So you...

During the first three weeks of this season, just five teams in the NBA did a better job of defending the 3 than the Orlando Magic. In their first 11 games, the Magic seemed to build a wall around the perimeter and limited opponents to 30.6 percent...

The Orlando Magic tonight will face a Miami Heat team that will be at less than full strength tonight.
Shooting guard Dwyane Wade will not play because of a hamstring injury, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after his team completed its shootaround a few...

A new topic up for debate in the NBA is an old topic: The length of the season.And guess what?People are saying it's still too long.In the latest version, superstars LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki believe 82 games are way too many,...

Plagued by a sprained left ankle, Nik Vucevic watched the Orlando Magic’s shootaround this morning from the sidelines, and his availability for tonight’s game against the Miami Heat will be decided closer to tipoff.
“We’ll see if he’s able to go for us,”...

It’s understandable if Orlando Magic fans have enjoyed watching the Miami Heat struggle in the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics. After all, the Heat are the Magic’s geographic rival. And, after the controversy-filled season the Magic...

MIAMI — Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said late Sunday afternoon that he considers the Orlando Magic a title contender now that it's certain Dwight Howard will be with the team the rest of the season.In the hours that followed, Heat players were far...

MIAMI — The Miami Heat don't intend to give Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard easy baskets when the two teams play tonight at AmericanAirlines Arena.
So what else is new?
Howard has averaged 20.0 points on 56.1 percent shooting in three games against...

Q: Ira, I think the Heat drafted Justise Winslow because they felt he would become a star NBA player, ready to replace either Luol Deng (next year) or Dwyane Wade in two or three years. You don't draft a player with the 10th pick, especially one...

Q: My question is at point guard. Can Dwyane Wade play backup point? I understand Erik Spoelstra likes players that can play multiple positions, but I don't see Goran Dragic enjoying playing shooting guard. -- Bryan, Fort Lauderdale.
A: Goran...

Josh Richardson has taken his next step from second-round pick to a spot on the Miami Heat roster, with an agreement Tuesday on a three-year contract.
Selected at No. 40 out of Tennessee, the versatile wing turned heads during his performance in the...

"Sacrifice" has been a Miami Heat mantra for years, especially since Erik Spoelstra has taken over as coach. This offseason, Amar'e Stoudemire made South Florida the epicenter.
According to a study by HoopsRumors.com, Stoudemire has taken the...

Free agency and even the draft are the sexiest parts of the offseason, the primary reason why expectations are reordered.
Continuity and health are far less compelling, but often offer a truer read of how the potential playoff races shape up.
So for all...

Q: Ira, it's nice that we will have our core back this season. However, we really don't have any 3-point proven shooters who will stretch the floor. We really can't rely on Goran Dragic for that as his game will be to run the floor and penetrate to the...

Faced with an Aug. 1 deadline to guarantee half of James Ennis' $845,000 2015-16 salary, the Miami Heat are moving forward with preparations to get the athletic forward ready for the upcoming season.
Despite the 2013 second-round pick shooting just...

Q: Do you think the Heat would try to get underneath the repeater tax by carrying 14 players instead of 15? -- Steel, Miami.
A: Could they try? Sure. Especially if it would mean the $1 million difference to potentially get under the luxury tax. From a...

LAS VEGAS When coach Erik Spoelstra said earlier this offseason that the Heat wants to quicken the tempo, that was viewed as good news for small forward James Ennis, because few players on the roster are better suited to playing fast. But then the...